Rail Trail Status - Between Tupper and Saranac

[Keithk]

Originally Posted by MTVhike

Does anyone know what's going to happen at the Tupper end? I was there last week and at the station, there is no change (of course, that's where the train is still planned to go). I drove north to the end of Washington Street, which is next to the railroad, and could see some work on the roadbed. Of course, the planners need to accommodate both the bikers (and snowmobilers), as well as the train in that area. As an aside, the docent at the Historical Society, which is housed in the train station, said that the rail trail is going from Lake Placid to Saranac Lake (!).
At the St. Regis Outfitters, in Floodwood, the rail trail seems to be complete, with a complete layer of course ballast, perhaps bikeable with a fat tire bike.

None of the trail is complete at this point- believe it or not, it’s not even scheduled to be finished by this time NEXT year (which in and of itself is a discussion for another time).

The trail does indeed run from LP through SL all the way to TL. The LP-SL portion will likely see the highest use, but I expect many people will enjoy the full length as well.

For a time there had been talk of paving the LP-SL portion, and doing crushed stone dust the rest of the way. I may be wrong, but I think the entire length is now going to be stone dust?

As a biker, I’m fine with that honestly. Stone dust makes a great surface and isi easier to maintain- an experienced rider would have no trouble even riding a road bike on it.

As for the Tupper RR station, theoretically they (TL] get the best of both worlds, with the trains and trail both ending at the nice station. Personally, I don’t think we’ll ever see consistent tourist train service from Thendara to TL, but admittedly I’m biased, so perhaps I’m wrong!

[Buckladd]

According to DEC, the timeline spelled out in this Press Release is still the plan.
https://www.dec.ny.gov/press/121633.html

[EagleCrag]

I biked from Ray Brook to LP a couple weeks ago. The surface was okay for mountain bikes but mine was a hard tail and it was tough on my pelvis. Although it was fairly scenic, the ride was not that enjoyable due to the rough texture of the stones and many bumps along the way. The bed had been heavily traveled by vehicles working on the trail. One stopped and said their contract was for the removal of the rails & ties and that the surface prep, whatever it may be, was going to be the DEC's responsibility. We also encountered a lady driving a pickup truck who said she was "exploring." Hopefully they will have barriers to prevent this type of activity once the construction work is done. We also encountered an individual who was gathering soil samples for wetland determination if I recall correctly.

[montcalm]

Originally Posted by Zach

I read a story in the Daily Enterprise this morning that said the rotten ties are being chipped or ground, and will soon be hauled away to landfills. In the meantime nearby residents are having trouble with the smell, and health concerns.

https://www.adirondackdailyenterpris...ts-that-smell/

I found out that at times these ties are sold to biofuel power plants and are burned (gasified technically).

Apparently it's pretty foul. Not sure it's too good for your health.

[Crash]

I just noticed this recent press release:
https://www.dec.ny.gov/press/124914.html

And I see that the DEC now has a webpage up for the rail trail:
https://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/124911.html

It looks like the Saranac to Placid section will be completed in September 2023. The complete trail is expected to be open in 2025. It looks like during the construction phase, pedestrian and bicycle use will be permitted at your own risk along most sections - but the trail surface will vary.

[DuctTape]

There were some neat areas along the Tupper to Placid section. A few lakes with easy access from the corridor with old established campsites. Not designated, just old fire rings. From Tupper to Mt Arab was boring as all getup. But from Arab to Horseshoe was really cool. Some parts of the tracks were almost flooded over. By far my favorite section. I have my doubts it will ever see trains again.

[Zach]

The press release and webpage look nice. It's good to hear what the current status is, and the maps are helpful too.

There were trains and track repair machines running up to Tupper all through last summer and fall, and I think the repairs to the tracks are completed, or mostly, from what I have heard.

[Bunchberry]

I could see at least 1,000 people a year riding from Lake Placid to Tupper Lake and eating lunch at Tupper Lake and then returning. This activity would be an add on to their Lake Placid vacation.

I could also see 500 people riding from Tupper Lake to Lake Placid. These people would be coming just to ride the trail. It would be a lot cheaper staying a Tupper Lake.

Someone should be designing the patch like right now! People will do anything for a patch!

Either way this will be great news for Tupper Lake!

[DuctTape]

Originally Posted by Bunchberry

I could see at least 1,000 people a year riding from Lake Placid to Tupper Lake and eating lunch at Tupper Lake and then returning. This activity would be an add on to their Lake Placid vacation.

I could also see 500 people riding from Tupper Lake to Lake Placid. These people would be coming just to ride the trail. It would be a lot cheaper staying a Tupper Lake.

Someone should be designing the patch like right now! People will do anything for a patch!

Either way this will be great news for Tupper Lake!

Especially those diners, and breweries right where the tracks cross in Tupper. I ate at the Lumberjack for breakfast on the third day of my trek. It was perfect!

[Crash]

I'd expect that a significant number of rail-trail bikers to Tupper Lake during the summertime would be campers at Fish Creek Ponds and Rollins Pond. There is a plan to build two access points to the rail trail from the Rollins Pond Campground. Here are some details from the May 2020 Amendment to the 1996 Remsen-Lake Placid Travel Corridor Unit Management Plan:

Two proposed trail connections are being investigated to connect the Fish Creek/Rollins Pond Campgrounds to the trail. The northern connection occurs at the northern end of the 34 | Remsen-Lake Placid Travel Corridor UMP Amendment/SEIS campground and involves an approximately 1/4-mile trail connection through forested lands to the Adirondack Rail Trail. The proposed trail will be ADA-accessible with one bridge crossing the Rollins Pond to Floodwood Pond outlet to allow campers to access the Adirondack Rail Trail approximately 1.1 miles south of Floodwood Road, or approximately 7.3 miles from Main Street in Tupper Lake.

The more challenging southern connection consists of an approximately 1-mile long trail from the south end of the campgrounds routing along the south end of Rollins Pond. The proposed trail will not be ADA-accessible due to the steep and varied terrain between the campground and the trail corridor. Two creeks that drain into Rollins Pond will need to be crossed in order to access the Adirondack Rail Trail corridor. The existing ground cover is primarily forested with some wetlands associated with the drainage ways.

I estimate that it would be about 6.6 miles from the Rollins Pond entry booth to Tupper Lake Main Street. The loop around Rollins Pond using campground roads, the two planned connection trails and the rail trail would be about 6 miles in length - I'd expect this to be a popular hiking/biking activity from the campground as well.

[TCD]

If you were at Rollins with a good sized canoe you could also paddle your bike across the pond and get right on the trail. That would be kind of fun!

I hope they build the bridge over the Rollins / Floodwood connection high enough so folks can still paddle that. Occasionally the water is high enough to make that a fun little passage.

[DuctTape]

I actually spent the night on Rollins Pond on my trek; just off the tracks there is a bay NE of Deer Pond. My buddy Lance hiked in from Tupper Lake to join me. He did not know exactly where I would be, but he found me!

[MTVhike]

Originally Posted by TCD

If you were at Rollins with a good sized canoe you could also paddle your bike across the pond and get right on the trail. That would be kind of fun!

I hope they build the bridge over the Rollins / Floodwood connection high enough so folks can still paddle that. Occasionally the water is high enough to make that a fun little passage.

I've paddled the Rollins/Floodwood ponds loop several times and have always paddled through that connection (each way). There is currently a foot bridge over the Floodwood/Little Square connection which is quite high and I had no problem paddling under it.